A Sacred Table: Feastday of the Queenship of Mary
Blessed Feastday : )
The importance of feastdays has really been sinking in more and more. Things have been very trying lately to be sure....and feastdays really do help put things more in perspective, the deeper picture...the deeper life. The devotion of Medieval life in particular really revolved around sacred feastdays... and i so long for this.
But its more. Its the history of them, including the modern ones. When it comes to many of them their origins are ancient and Biblical, and yet they are instated later.... at the time in history when they are truly needed most. Talk about wisdom and healing! About today's feastday, from here:
In 1942, Pope Pius XII proclaimed this day (August 22) in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and in 1945 he established this holiday of devotion to Mary in her compassionate aspect. Both were acts of spiritual warfare, designed to pose Mary and Catholicism as supreme weapons in the battle against godless Communism.
Then their is the "mirroring" aspect of feastdays, how they deepen the connection between heaven and earth, let us feel heaven a little closer. Yet is also goes the other way around too, from here:
The gospel reading for the Queenship of Mary is the story of the Annunciation, and what struck me at Mass today was the fact that the royal status of Mary was established on earth historically before it was established in heaven. First of all it was established because Mary was the wife of Joseph, who, Matthew's geneology tells us was descended from King David. Secondly it was established through the message of the angel. Mary's son will receive the throne of his Father David, and he will rule of Israel (Lk.2:32,33) This fact makes Mary the Queen Mother of Jesus the Lord, the King of Israel.
Her crowning in heaven is simply the ultimate fulfillment of her role on earth. When we see her in the Book of Revelation crowned with twelve stars (Rev.12:2) the symbolism and her function are complete. The twelve stars represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles--symbolic of her son's rule as the King of Israel and the everlasting Ruler of the Apostolic Church. Her role as Queen of Heaven is therefore the completion of her role as the hidden Queen Mother of the King of Israel here on earth.
What I find intriguing about this is the idea that an event in heaven parallels a reality on earth. If this is the case with Our Lady, then perhaps it is also the case with all of the redeemed. Mary's Queenship on earth was always humble and lowly and full of suffering-- for a sword pierced her own heart also. However, this lowly and humble Queenship on earth was magnified and brought to its full reality and full glory as she was assumed into heaven and crowned as the Queen Mother of her Son.
Is it the same with us? I think so. Certainly our participation in the sacraments is a time when our actions on earth are mirrored in heaven. When we repent the angels rejoice. When we participate in the Eucharist we share in the wedding feast of the Lamb in heaven. When we are baptized, confirmed or ordained we are given a new and everlasting character.
Furthermore, perhaps all our earthly sorrows, trials and tribulations have a parallel version in the cosmos--a sort of mirror version which is far more glorious than we can ever imagine. Are our lives hidden? Do we struggle day after day to realize the glorious royal potential to which we are called? I believe on the other side it will all be transformed. Here we see through a glass darkly. Then we shall see things as they really are. Then we will be blinded by the awesome beauty of reality, for we shall see Him as he is who is Reality itself. Then every last detail of our lives will be redeemed and transformed into an intricate and eternal plan of glory that is far more beautiful and profound than we can now comprehend. (bolding my own).
This just really moved something, reading this. Especially that part about things being transformed. It so much reminded me of that dream from last Candlemas, when there was a beach stick on the mantle and in the dream i woke up there to find it suddenly beautifully embellished....with the realization that perhaps that is what happens in heaven. That that is why we so need to be simple and mindful and devoted and carefully pay attention to details.... rather than rush rush rush and gather gather gather gather. Why we need to not be cluttered or scattered, inside or out....becuase it will all get em-bell-ished in the end. And depending on how we have lived, that em-bell-ish-ment can then bring rich and peaceful beauty or it can bring overwhelm and chaos. Well, those were the feelings of the dream anyway, for what they are worth. I just find myself thinking back to it today.
This truly is a beautiful feastday today. And we need this reminder today more than ever it seems. This wonderful reminder that our own dear Blessed Mother is indeed Queen of Heaven, and the most loving Queen or Mother we could ever dream of....
For human life is short, but Mary reigns above, a Queen forever--Cardinal Newman
A Very Blessed Feastday Everyone : )